Sydney’s first suburb was on Woolloomooloo Hill, now known either as Potts Point or Kings Cross. Through the 1820s and early 1830s wealthy settlers and officials built mansions in the area. Most of Sydney's wealthy merchants, lived on the ridge at what became known as The Rocks while poorer people lived lower down the hill.
By 1841 the population had reached 30,000 and suburbs at walking distance from the centre, like Darlinghurst, the Darling harbour area, Ultimo and Pyrmont were already industrial. They were areas with a mix of industry and working class housing.
Further out, a short coach ride or horse bus route from the centre the suburbs of Woolloomooloo in the east, Redfern and Newtown in the south, Glebe, Annandale and Balmain to the west, were all wealthy suburbs. From the 1860s onwards a limited steam tram service was also available.
Railway in the 19th century were used for produce. The first one connected the city to Parramatta in 1855
Sydney's development 1880 to 1900
As the city grew in the 1880s many of these suburbs fell in status as they were overtaken by the outward spread of industry and the working class. In Redfern construction of railway workshops at Eveleigh brought working people while in Balmain the building of Mort's Dock attracted maritime workers.
At this time, Sydney was still a small city with 95% of the population living within the City of Sydney area and these immediate inner-city.
In the 1880 suburbs such as Leichhardt, Petersham, Stanmore and Summer Hill began to develop. These suburbs were the outer growth zone of Sydney. Beyond lay dairy farms and market gardens, with various other forms of farming spreading across the Cumberland plain, west of Parramatta
By 1891 those living in the inner areas had fallen to about 75% as wealthier people began to move into the emerging second ring of inner suburbs. Some of these like Birchgrove and Hunters Hill were accessible by ferry while others, like the fashionable Johnston St Annandale by horse and carriage.
Changes in transportation were very important in the growth of the suburbs. More railway lines were constructed and by the 1890s Richmond, Campbelltown, Sutherland and Hornsby, were connected and grew as small centres.
Decline of the Factory and Transitional zones
In the suburbs steam trams became more dominant forms of urban transport but from 1900 onwards these routes were electrified. After electrification the tramway network developed rapidly by 1930 there was 100kms of rail. At this stage Sydney had the largest urban tramway system in the world.
Beginning with the Bubonic Plague outbreaks in the early 1900s and becoming more rapid through the 1920s there was decline in some older parts of the City of Sydney city and inner suburbs like Pyrmont, Ultimo, Alexandria and Erskineville. Here older houses dilapidated and unsanitary houses were largely replaced by industry, warehouses and commercial activities. Now places like Glebe, Forest Lodge, Rozelle, Balmain, Camperdown and Leichhardt became suburbs of poorer people with the expansion of industry and the drift of wealthier people to the Established zone.
Sydney's development 1920 to the 1930s
By the 1920s suburban expansion was becoming very rapid. There was a wave of development and suburbs like Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee, Daceyville, Kensington, Kingsford, Maroubra, Randwick, Waverley, Willoughby, Canterbury, Bankstown, Haberfield, Concord, Five Dock, Auburn , Dundas and Eastwood grew rapidly. After the opening of the Harbour Bridge in 1932, trams also serviced suburbs such as Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman. These These suburbs were settled by wealthier people and also working class people who had managed to save enough money to escape the decaying and dilapidated inner industrial zone, and buy into these areas. Workers travelled back towards the city centre to work by train and by tram.
By 1932 Sydney had the world’s largest urban tramway system. The suburban rail network was also well developed and permitted continuous settlement along railway lines as far as Hornsby, Parramatta, Liverpool, Bankstown and Sutherland. Suburbs were close to tram lines and railway lines. Private car ownership was reserved for the wealthy, so many parts of these suburbs remained unsettled as they were too far from tram and rail transport.
Sydney During The Great Depression
The Great Depression ensured that suburban development slowed and remained slow until the 1950s. Throughout this time Sydney relied largely on railways and tramways for transport to and from the suburbs. After the war there was renewed growth of suburbs. At first this was along railway lines. New lines such as the East Hills line and the Cabramatta Regents Park link, were developed.
Post World War Two - The Growth of Sydney's Suburbs
With the development of cheaper mass produced motor lorries and motor cars from the 1950s onwards, coupled with increased migration and the post war baby boom, the growth of Sydney was rapid. By the late 1960s trams were no longer operating and suburbs were much less dependent on railway lines. Now cars gave people the opportunity to settle further away from railway lines.
Depression and war led to housing shortages and war led to the rationing of building materials. The 1950s began with a large demand for housing, this was accompanied by increasing availability of cheaper mass produced Australian cars. Through the 1950s Sydney began to expand beyond the areas serviced by trains and trams, into areas that relied on car transport.
Now families began to plan for their dream home in the suburbs equipped with car, television and extensive backyard. Suburban shopping centres that relied on car transport grew. Supermarkets began to appear and post war migration began to bring about greater cultural diversity in Sydney’s suburbs. The further Decline of Inner Sydney
At this time the old industrial zone and the ring of suburbs forming the transitional zone went through a further period of urban decline. Families sought a more comfortable life in the suburbs. Much older housing fell into disrepair and the inner city areas were seen as slums. In places such as Redfern, Waterloo, Forest Lodge and Glebe many old houses were demolished and large high rise public housing blocks built to house poorer people. Balmain, White Bay and Pyrmont had operating coal fired power stations.
Migration transforming the city
At the beginning of the 1960s just over 20% Australia's population lived in suburban. In addition to this post war migration was transforming Sydney into a multicultural city. This was a time when particular suburbs became the focus of migration from certain parts of the world. · Italians settled in Leichhardt, Drummoyne, Five Dock and Ryde. · Greeks settled in Newtown, Marrickville and Kensington. · Poles, Russians and Ukrainians settled in Fairfield and Lidcombe · Maltese settled in Holroyd and Merrylands · People from the former republic of Yugoslavia settled in Stanmore
1960s was also a time of apartment development in suburbs such as Randwick, Waverley, Willoughby, Canterbury, Bankstown, Haberfield, Auburn, Dundas, Concord and Daceyville and also some of the older suburbs such as Glebe, Leichhardt, Rozelle and Balmain. This process continued though the 1970s.
By 1965, Sydney's population reached 2,491,320; this had grown to 3,257,500 in 1980.
From the 1980s southern suburbs with medium- to high-density housing have had a high concentration of people born outside Australia. Many have also settled in western and south western suburbs such, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown, Cabramatta and Fairfield. The Renewal and Gentrification of Inner Sydney
From the 1970s onwards there was a process of urban renewal, gentrification and consolidation in the old ring of suburbs that made up the transitional zone. Professional and salaried workers who worked in the CBD wanted to live closer to work, in part because of the increasing traffic congestion faced by people commuting from the suburbs by car.
The first of these suburbs to experience renewal were suburbs such as Balmain, Rozelle and Glebe, but the process has extended throughout the inner Western suburbs.
From the 1990s onwards renewal also began occurring in old factory suburbs like Pyrmont and Ultimo, Zetland and Waterloo. Here is was characterised by urban consolisdation with the development of high rise apartment blocks.
There has also been significant urban consolidation in Sydney's CBD the latest example of this is the Barangaroo project.
Sydney’s Suburban History
Sydney's early development 1820 to 1880
Sydney’s first suburb was on Woolloomooloo Hill, now known either as Potts Point or Kings Cross. Through the 1820s and early 1830s wealthy settlers and officials built mansions in the area. Most of Sydney's wealthy merchants, lived on the ridge at what became known as The Rocks while poorer people lived lower down the hill.By 1841 the population had reached 30,000 and suburbs at walking distance from the centre, like Darlinghurst, the Darling harbour area, Ultimo and Pyrmont were already industrial. They were areas with a mix of industry and working class housing.
Further out, a short coach ride or horse bus route from the centre the suburbs of Woolloomooloo in the east, Redfern and Newtown in the south, Glebe, Annandale and Balmain to the west, were all wealthy suburbs. From the 1860s onwards a limited steam tram service was also available.
Railway in the 19th century were used for produce. The first one connected the city to Parramatta in 1855
Sydney's development 1880 to 1900
As the city grew in the 1880s many of these suburbs fell in status as they were overtaken by the outward spread of industry and the working class. In Redfern construction of railway workshops at Eveleigh brought working people while in Balmain the building of Mort's Dock attracted maritime workers.At this time, Sydney was still a small city with 95% of the population living within the City of Sydney area and these immediate inner-city.
In the 1880 suburbs such as Leichhardt, Petersham, Stanmore and Summer Hill began to develop. These suburbs were the outer growth zone of Sydney. Beyond lay dairy farms and market gardens, with various other forms of farming spreading across the Cumberland plain, west of Parramatta
By 1891 those living in the inner areas had fallen to about 75% as wealthier people began to move into the emerging second ring of inner suburbs. Some of these like Birchgrove and Hunters Hill were accessible by ferry while others, like the fashionable Johnston St Annandale by horse and carriage.
Changes in transportation were very important in the growth of the suburbs. More railway lines were constructed and by the 1890s Richmond, Campbelltown, Sutherland and Hornsby, were connected and grew as small centres.
Decline of the Factory and Transitional zones
In the suburbs steam trams became more dominant forms of urban transport but from 1900 onwards these routes were electrified. After electrification the tramway network developed rapidly by 1930 there was 100kms of rail. At this stage Sydney had the largest urban tramway system in the world.Beginning with the Bubonic Plague outbreaks in the early 1900s and becoming more rapid through the 1920s there was decline in some older parts of the City of Sydney city and inner suburbs like Pyrmont, Ultimo, Alexandria and Erskineville. Here older houses dilapidated and unsanitary houses were largely replaced by industry, warehouses and commercial activities. Now places like Glebe, Forest Lodge, Rozelle, Balmain, Camperdown and Leichhardt became suburbs of poorer people with the expansion of industry and the drift of wealthier people to the Established zone.
Sydney's development 1920 to the 1930s
By the 1920s suburban expansion was becoming very rapid. There was a wave of development and suburbs like Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee, Daceyville, Kensington, Kingsford, Maroubra, Randwick, Waverley, Willoughby, Canterbury, Bankstown, Haberfield, Concord, Five Dock, Auburn , Dundas and Eastwood grew rapidly. After the opening of the Harbour Bridge in 1932, trams also serviced suburbs such as Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman. These These suburbs were settled by wealthier people and also working class people who had managed to save enough money to escape the decaying and dilapidated inner industrial zone, and buy into these areas. Workers travelled back towards the city centre to work by train and by tram.By 1932 Sydney had the world’s largest urban tramway system. The suburban rail network was also well developed and permitted continuous settlement along railway lines as far as Hornsby, Parramatta, Liverpool, Bankstown and Sutherland. Suburbs were close to tram lines and railway lines. Private car ownership was reserved for the wealthy, so many parts of these suburbs remained unsettled as they were too far from tram and rail transport.
Sydney During The Great Depression
The Great Depression ensured that suburban development slowed and remained slow until the 1950s. Throughout this time Sydney relied largely on railways and tramways for transport to and from the suburbs. After the war there was renewed growth of suburbs. At first this was along railway lines. New lines such as the East Hills line and the Cabramatta Regents Park link, were developed.Post World War Two - The Growth of Sydney's Suburbs
With the development of cheaper mass produced motor lorries and motor cars from the 1950s onwards, coupled with increased migration and the post war baby boom, the growth of Sydney was rapid. By the late 1960s trams were no longer operating and suburbs were much less dependent on railway lines. Now cars gave people the opportunity to settle further away from railway lines.Depression and war led to housing shortages and war led to the rationing of building materials. The 1950s began with a large demand for housing, this was accompanied by increasing availability of cheaper mass produced Australian cars. Through the 1950s Sydney began to expand beyond the areas serviced by trains and trams, into areas that relied on car transport.
Now families began to plan for their dream home in the suburbs equipped with car, television and extensive backyard. Suburban shopping centres that relied on car transport grew. Supermarkets began to appear and post war migration began to bring about greater cultural diversity in Sydney’s suburbs.
The further Decline of Inner Sydney
At this time the old industrial zone and the ring of suburbs forming the transitional zone went through a further period of urban decline. Families sought a more comfortable life in the suburbs. Much older housing fell into disrepair and the inner city areas were seen as slums. In places such as Redfern, Waterloo, Forest Lodge and Glebe many old houses were demolished and large high rise public housing blocks built to house poorer people. Balmain, White Bay and Pyrmont had operating coal fired power stations.
Migration transforming the city
At the beginning of the 1960s just over 20% Australia's population lived in suburban. In addition to this post war migration was transforming Sydney into a multicultural city. This was a time when particular suburbs became the focus of migration from certain parts of the world.· Italians settled in Leichhardt, Drummoyne, Five Dock and Ryde.
· Greeks settled in Newtown, Marrickville and Kensington.
· Poles, Russians and Ukrainians settled in Fairfield and Lidcombe
· Maltese settled in Holroyd and Merrylands
· People from the former republic of Yugoslavia settled in Stanmore
1960s was also a time of apartment development in suburbs such as Randwick, Waverley, Willoughby, Canterbury, Bankstown, Haberfield, Auburn, Dundas, Concord and Daceyville and also some of the older suburbs such as Glebe, Leichhardt, Rozelle and Balmain. This process continued though the 1970s.
By 1965, Sydney's population reached 2,491,320; this had grown to 3,257,500 in 1980.
From the 1980s southern suburbs with medium- to high-density housing have had a high concentration of people born outside Australia. Many have also settled in western and south western suburbs such, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown, Cabramatta and Fairfield.
The Renewal and Gentrification of Inner Sydney
From the 1970s onwards there was a process of urban renewal, gentrification and consolidation in the old ring of suburbs that made up the transitional zone. Professional and salaried workers who worked in the CBD wanted to live closer to work, in part because of the increasing traffic congestion faced by people commuting from the suburbs by car.
The first of these suburbs to experience renewal were suburbs such as Balmain, Rozelle and Glebe, but the process has extended throughout the inner Western suburbs.
From the 1990s onwards renewal also began occurring in old factory suburbs like Pyrmont and Ultimo, Zetland and Waterloo. Here is was characterised by urban consolisdation with the development of high rise apartment blocks.
There has also been significant urban consolidation in Sydney's CBD the latest example of this is the Barangaroo project.